Moving to the Dominican Republic: The Paradox of Paradise

By Ross Weber

Ross's book Moving to the Dominican Republic: The Paradox of Paradise is about the hilarious yet serious lessons learned as an American who has decided to move to the Dominican Republic. It is a must read for anyone who has wondered what it would be like to live in the Caribbean.

Ross uses real life experiences to describe the culture shock and other setbacks of making the transition from living in the United States to living in the Dominican Republic. The book includes both personal stories as well as unique observations to describe the ups and downs of living on an Island.

If you have lived in the Dominican Republic you will love this book. If you are planning on visiting the Dominican Republic, the lessons in this book will help you be prepared. If you are interested in international living, or possibly retiring in the Caribbean, this is the perfect book for you! It is full of Dominican Republic Information you will love.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ross Weber
• Release date: Feb 21, 2010
• ISBN: 9781452444819

Ross Weber

Ross's book Moving to the Dominican Republic: The Paradox of Paradise is about the hilarious yet serious lessons learned as an American who has decided to move to the Dominican Republic. It is a must read for anyone who has wondered what it would be like to live in the Caribbean. Ross uses real life experiences to describe the culture shock and other setbacks of making the transition from living in the United States to living in the Dominican Republic. The book includes both personal stories as well as unique observations to describe the ups and downs of living on an Island. If you have lived in the Dominican Republic you will love this book. If you are planning on going to the Dominican Republic, the lessons in this book will help you be prepared. If you are interested in international living, or possibly retiring in the Caribbean, this is the perfect book for you!

Book preview

Moving to the Dominican Republic:

The Paradox of Paradise

by

Ross Weber

Smashwords Edition

Published by Ross Weber

This book is available in print at http://www.MovingtoDR.com

Copyright © 2009 by Ross Weber

First Edition

Edited by Betsy Gordon

Cover Design Wicked Sunny

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

To the most beautiful woman in the world: my wife.

Thank you for making me feel lucky every day.

Table of Contents

Introduction

PART ONE

There’s Plenty to Love about the DR

A Little Bit about Me

My Experience with Education

Culture Shock in the District of Columbia

DC to the DR: The Beginning of My Odyssey

My Second Visit to Santo Domingo

Meeting Ana’s Family

About My Job

My First Lessons

Always Exhibit Confidence!

The Dominican View of Money

How to Make Purchases

Living Conditions and Lifestyle Changes

International Calling and the Internet

Not Understanding Can Be an Advantage

Lessons I Learned as I Became More Seasoned

How I Began to Cut Back on Spending

Issues with the Police

Buying a House or Apartment

Getting a Loan from a Dominican Bank

Exchanging Money

Dealing with Window Washers

People Who Think I Will Give Them Stuff

How to Honk a Horn Properly

Spanish Classes

The Stress of Leaving Everything Behind

Internet Issues

Traffic

Becoming Dominican

Residency

Getting Sick for a Month Straight

Rats, Roaches, and Rubbish

Getting Past Basic Spanish

Just Loving Life

Time Is Not an Issue

Having an Escape Plan

PART TWO

Choosing Your Airline

Delta Airlines

American Airlines

The Other Airlines

Travel Tips

Safety

What Would I Do Differently?

Want to take the Plunge?

The Last Chapter

My Short-List of Things I LOVE

Bonus Materials

A Few Last-Minute Extras

Additional Reading

My Top Picks for Dominican Getaways

My Most Highly-Recommended Resources and How to Use Them

Once Your Spanish Is Better

Work-Related Resources

Embassies

Spanish Vocabulary

Note from the Author

Acknowledgments

Introduction

"In the end, it is not the years in your life that count.

It is the life in your years."

Abraham Lincoln

Living life to its fullest is just the way I do things.

Sometimes the way I do things causes severe consequences. At other times, my curiosity requires me to be patient, tardy, or humble enough to admit I messed up. There have, however, not been many times when life has not been exciting. Life is great; at least, that’s what I tell myself every day when I wake up. Now, I consider myself young, but I am definitely not a kid. Due to the variety of experiences I have had in my life, I consider myself fairly easygoing and well versed in dealing with different lifestyles and people.

I have been to four of the seven continents. I have visited countries spanning the globe from North to South, and from West to East. During my travels, I have had the opportunity to meet and get to know many diverse groups of people. I have done business with Eskimos in Alaska and Indian natives in Canada. I have shared views and perspectives with Aborigines in Australia. I have been fishing, hunting, and game-spotting with natives in several African countries. I have friends who live on every continent, probably in just about every country.

I am an avid outdoorsman who loves the wild and enjoys exploring new destinations. I have climbed some of the highest peaks in the United States. I have been to the lowest points on both the African and North American continents. I have climbed the tallest sand dunes in the world. I have been in the bush in Australia, the jungles of Central America, and the tropics of Malaysia. I have been deep-sea fishing in the Pacific, the Atlantic, and the Caribbean. I have also lived in climates ranging from 120+ to -30. Throughout my life I have many incredible memories.

Some of my most memorable experiences include feeling the true textures of an alligator’s skin and the hair of an elephant; tasting the flesh of a shark; hunting a species of antelope which at one time was on the endangered species list; hearing the breath of a lion outside my tent at night; smelling the odor of a giant elk as it walked past me; and petting a cheetah while it purred like a motor. These experiences, among others, have often made me feel as if I had been everywhere and done everything: but that was before I visited the Dominican Republic for the first time.

The Dominican Republic is a country with a million unique smells and a multitude of new sights and sounds. From the songbirds to the motos and music, the Dominican Republic has a natural noise of its own. The smells of the ocean air, fresh fruits, and Dominican cuisine contrast sharply with the heavy stench of exhaust from the thousands of vehicles. On top of the new smells and sounds, the country is literally alive with color. The locals are proud of their buildings and make sure you know it by painting them all sorts of bright colors.

Like the locals, the island itself is proud, because its soil grows some of the most colorful vegetation I have ever seen. The bushes, plants, trees, and vines grow naturally in every shade of the rainbow, yet there are places with no color at all. The island has well over a thousand different shades of orange, green, and yellow, but rust, brown and grey thrive equally as well. Hundreds of different species of birds sport almost every color imaginable. There are birds with red plumage; there are birds with blue plumage. There are even ordinary everyday pigeons. The country also supports many exotic species of parrots and finches, which sing and whistle almost to the point of insanity.

The island is tropical, which allows it to boast some of the most beautiful landscapes imaginable. It is home to a very diverse population, among whom live some of the most impoverished people on the planet. On any given day, it is not uncommon to see a person driving a Ferrari – but you will surely see another riding a cart drawn by a horse. The locals can live in a building the size of a shopping center, but they are also comfortable living under a tarp.

This is a country that owes much of its current oppression to a tyrannical dictator, a short-sighted man who raped the country of its most prized possessions. He took from both rich and poor. He lived the life of a king, while depriving the people of happiness and advancement by restricting access to schools, medicine, and technology. Due directly to this dictator’s stranglehold on the country, at one point a majority of the Dominican population was unable to read.

The modern-day Dominican Republic has a democratically-elected government, with a President, Congress, and a functioning court system. The country is known for its vast production of sugar and coffee, as well as its abundance of other natural resources like amber. It is popular with tourists for its variety of beautiful virgin beaches, which range from pure white to almost black. It produces wonderful baseball players who dominate the major leagues, as well as beautiful women who are the envy of exotic fashion. Very widely known is its incredible merengue music, which, like most folk music, tells the stories of the people and different events in their lives. It is a country truly different from any other on the planet.

As you get to know the Dominican Republic, you will quickly notice the friendliness of the people. They will give you a good meal and an even better conversation. They will invite you to their house for the weekend, and in return, expect you to talk with them. Dominicans are amazing, just like the island that has raised them. Yet the Dominican people are as diverse as the islands’ birds, plants, and beaches. They can be tall or short, dark or pale. The only similarity between any two Dominicans is their insuperable love for their heritage. Who would blame them? Their country is beautiful and their culture is strong. They are Dominicans, and they live by their own set of rules.

Dominicans live in a country where many North American, European, or gringo cultures and traditions simply do not apply. They live on a tropical island that is being forced to enter the modern era at the speed of technology, while still having the infrastructure of the past century. These differences are unique in that the people know what is modern, yet many of their lifestyles and habits are outdated. Lifestyle differences and habits are the cause of major cultural differences between the DR and the first world. Disparities are magnified because the island is a vacation getaway for many wealthy foreigners who demand first-world amenities. This book will focus on these cultural differences and how to deal with them.

One of my first observations when I came to the island was that there is no such thing as a true Dominican. You can’t judge by a person’s looks whether or not he’s a Dominican. Dominicans are simply different, and they are proud of this.

The country’s population has influences from Europe, Africa, Asia, and of course many Latin influences. One of the representations of this national recognition of individuality is the ubiquitous doll without a face. As you enter the airport, take a quick look in the shops, look in your hotel’s gift shop, and look at many stores around the country. You’ll see these dolls everywhere.

The doll without a face is designed to represent all Dominicans because it allows its viewers to place the face as they wish, which is uniquely individual. The dolls are faceless to represent the wide number of possible faces that could fit on each doll. Remember that Dominicans appreciate being viewed as individuals. They are proud of their personal differences. The doll without a face is a symbol of a faceless people; each individual is unique. As you adapt to the Dominican Republic and its culture, remember your own personal uniqueness and individuality; but keep in mind that Dominicans also see themselves as similar to each other. They all eat plantains. They all like fried cheese and salami. They are proud of their Mangu. My intentions in this book are to help you adjust to the cultural differences and similarities as you begin your journey of becoming aplatanado.

I have divided this book into two parts. The first

part has more to do with my own story. Why have I moved to the Dominican Republic? How was I able to make ends meet financially? What was the first level of lessons I learned as I made the transition? How did I deal with the culture shock and the differences in my new society? What were my safeguards? How did I approach certain situations that could have had bad outcomes? What were some of the hardest things for me to overcome as I left my family, my country, and my life in the United States? These are just a few of the questions I hope to answer in the first part of the book.

The second part will deal with more general questions: issues like safety, travel, resources, and preparing to make the move on your own. I believe the second part will be useful for you to look back on from time to time, and to use as a reference guide.

PART ONE

Living in a country so vastly different from any I have ever lived in has required both education and patience.

Sometimes my ability to learn and remain calm has been tested by the country’s backward approach to problems. One of my strategies for keeping the often backward-seeming approaches from driving me crazy is always to tell everyone I love it here, and to remind myself that there are plenty of things to love.

What do I mean by that? Well, the Dominican Republic does have its major challenges. The electricity grid is terrible. The police are corrupt. Traffic is horrendous. And as for crime… well, let’s just say you always need to be looking over your shoulder. Each of these areas presents a new challenge.

In addition, Dominican time runs a little slower than anywhere else I have ever lived. Added together, these challenges sometimes make me want to scream! With that said, I really do love the Dominican Republic. And I believe many Americans would be happier living here than they are in their current environment, particularly now with the world economic crisis and the rapidly- declining real estate values. I always tell everyone I love it here, because no matter whether some small thing is driving me nuts at the moment or not, I really do love this country. It is an amazing place.

There’s Plenty to Love about the DR

If one were to make a list of items to treasure about the Dominican Republic, the list would be very long.

Items on my own list include my ability to go running outdoors every day of the year. And then there are the wonderful fruit and vegetables I find for sale on every corner. I have never eaten so many avocados, mangos, papayas, limoncillos, guavas, bananas, and other fruits never even imagined in the United States. I make it a point to have some sort of fresh fruit in my house all the time. If I ever run low, it’s easy to walk to the corner vendor and buy more. The corner vendors sell fruit from makeshift carts that are part bicycle, part umbrella. They pile the fruit so high the mounds amount to more than one could carry in two wheelbarrows. These heaps of fresh fruit are so colorful they tempt the eye almost as much as they tempt the tongue. You cannot get within ten feet of the street vendors’ carts without smelling the sweet honey-like aroma of the ripe fruits. Even thinking about the smell of the fresh pineapple, papaya, bananas, or mangos sitting in the warm air makes my mouth water. I have also learned to love sour oranges, which replace salad dressing and are a delight.

Another one of the beauties of living in a developing country, and something I will surely mention many times throughout this book, is the fact that I now have a housekeeper and cook. I absolutely love it! The fact that I can have someone come to my house and cook and clean, even though I am just a normal dude, is great!

Having a housekeeper and cook is one of the things I would never trade, because one of my least favorite tasks is washing dirty dishes. The seemingly simple ability just to have someone there to do the cooking and cleaning is something so wonderful I cannot explain it. My whole life, I have washed my dirty clothes once or twice a week. I have always washed my dishes every day, but still there always seemed to be a growing pile waiting to be cleaned. It is so unbelievably cool not to have to wash laundry (I haven’t washed a load of laundry in almost four years!), not to have to wash dishes, and to have someone cook what you want and then ask if you would like coffee or dessert afterwards. I would have never realized how much I appreciate having household help if I had not been more or less forced into hiring someone. At first it was a little weird for me to tell someone to make me lunch. However, for Dominicans of every class, household help is just a normal part of life. It is a luxury that ordinary citizens of first-world countries miss out on.

Another thing I absolutely love about the Dominican Republic is the strength of good Dominican families. It is astonishing to me to see families where the children are grown up, have families of their own, and yet they still help their brothers and sisters out. Most adult children visit their parents on the weekends so they can sit and talk. As parents become older, the children view it as their duty to have their parents move in with their family so they can repay them for the care they were given as a child. This kind of treatment or bond just does not seem to exist much in the United States.

Even though I am not a member of the Catholic church (by far the most widely-practiced religion on the island), I also love the fact that it is quite normal for someone to say a prayer at the beginning of most public events. One event I remember in particular was a race I entered on the Mirador one weekend. Just before the race began, they prayed as a group. There were several hundred people standing there in a public park while the MC prayed that everyone would be healthy and run a good race. It almost made me fall over, I was so shocked.

I have also taken dance classes at a local dance school. The school has a prayer at the end of class each day. It is no big deal; you are not forced to join them. They simply offer a prayer before people go their separate ways. They pray that you will be safe and that God will help you learn as you practice. It is a simple thing, but something many living in modernized first-world countries would not even think of. Whether you are religious or not, in my opinion it is awesome to see people so humble and grateful for what they have been given. I respect that humility.

As you read this book, you will soon learn that I also love the many other treasures this beautiful country has. As I explain the cultural differences, I will discuss times I have had difficulties adjusting, and areas where I could have planned my transition better. Hopefully, these examples will help you learn how to steer clear of similar problems. I hope you decide to join me sometime. Living in the Dominican Republic is AWESOME!

Now, let me tell you a little about my background and how I came to know the Dominican Republic.

A Little Bit about Me

First of all, I am only including this section so you know enough about me to understand I am just a normal dude who was raised in a normal American family. Prior to coming to the DR I had NO Spanish skills. I could not even speak one sentence in Spanish. I am a short bald white guy, who was raised in a middle class American family. My family had nothing special with regard to income or lifestyle; the latter was even more restricted which was compounded because my parents are severely conservative.

I had never been to the Caribbean and did not think of myself as much of a risk- taker prior to my first visit. When I decided to move, I was 31 years old and single. I had just under $150,000 in debt from student loans and was just beginning my professional life. When I had the opportunity to visit the first time, I realized that I could either go or not go. Short-term, the one-week vacation would not really affect me professionally. Either way, five years down the road, it would be a one-week trip I would remember well.

What I did not know at the time was that short- term, one-week vacation would change my life.

After my first trip to the Dominican Republic, I started to look at things differently with regard to my life and what I wanted to accomplish. I began to justify why it was good for me to continue to visit. I started by scheduling a second visit a few weeks later. After the second visit, it made sense to visit twice a month, at least for a year. These small justifications started out as ways for

Reviews for Moving to the Dominican Republic

[Jeremy Cleary · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The author means well and some parts are entertaining bit it's mostly just all about him. He comes off as full of himself and I was looking for much more information about any kind of history or current events affecting the country.